Remember when we were in grade school, and on Valentine's Day, we made cute mailboxes? Then everyone got candy or cute stickers on "Spongebob" and "Disney" princess valentines from Walmart? Once that stopped happening, Valentine's Day definitely started to suck.

Let me start by saying I'm not anti-love or bitter, or against love. I just don't celebrate Valentine's Day.

Don't get me wrong, I am a big fan of showing the ones we love appreciation and admiration. However, one of the biggest reasons I don't take part in Valentine's Day festivities is because it's a commercialized holiday. It's all about spending money and barely about, oh you know, LOVE.

Valentine's Day also gives the impression that you need to spend money to prove you love someone in your life. The stores and restaurants all say that you need to break the bank to prove to someone that you love them.

Of course, that's not the case. Most of the time, people do not care how much you spend, but how much effort and thought you put into it.

With that being said, V-day also becomes a low-key competition of "who loves who more."

This seemed more prominent in high school, but I still see it happening here and there. Couples compare what they got what for V-day with what OTHER couples got. Comparing who spent the most, bragging about who made the biggest public display of affection, etc. These things shouldn't matter and comparing your significant other to someone else's significant other can't be healthy. As long as that person made an effort to show that they care about you, the price should be irrelevant.

If you are going to celebrate the holiday, go for a more meaningful vibe as opposed to cheesy and expensive. Get creative! Think outside the box of chocolates.

Personally, I think being surprised is way better than waiting in anticipation.

Getting flowers randomly at work one day or finding a cute note from my significant other in the morning is so much better than waiting in anticipation all day on V-day. Those random surprises are such cute serendipitous moments that just make your day because you weren't expecting it! You also know they did it because they wanted to, not because it was expected of them. There's way less pressure and it means so much more. Show someone you love them consistently, not just on Valentine's day!

Quick shout out to the single people on Valentine's Day! You are loved!

Being single on V-day doesn't have to suck! Take the day to love yourself because, at the end of the day, the most important person who should love you is YOU. Treat yourself to a nice dinner or do something you love.

Valentine's Day isn't just about showing love to significant others, it's about showing love to ANYONE in your life. Whether that's your mom, best friends, grandma, even your pets! Celebrate the day with them and take the moment to remind them how much you love them. That small reminder of how much they mean to you is worth more than a giant teddy bear and a box of chocolates. I promise.